fall arrangement

donnas_gwSeptember 11, 2009

I made this arrangement this morning in a hurry. The bow is not the best. First I made it using no ribbon, then a ribbon with long steamers, and then short ones. The short one looks more like a Christmas package LOL. Maybe I need to go back to the drawing board again.

Is it wired ribbon? It looks like it would be. Pouf the bow up just a little. It just looks a bit stiff. I sometimes make a couple of ruffly looking loops. I take 1 of those long loops & push the center down so now you have 2 loops sticking up & then I work with them until it looks like 1/2 of a 4 loop bow, then do same with other long loop. Reason I don't just make 2nd bow is it wastes so much wired ribbon & with the 2 long loops made to look like 4 get same effect with less ribbon. But nothing wrong with what you have done, looks very much like fall! Maybe I will get in gear, i should be, I changed the bulletin boards at church & the flowers monday!! Well, it's hot out so that makes it still feel like summer!! Christmas will be on us before we know it!! Jan

Yes, it is wired ribbon. Michael's Craft Store did have an arrangement made up like this, using the same sized bale of hay, so that's where I got the idea. They use larger, more expensive flowers...I buy the smaller ones that they will put on sale for under $2.00. They have people who work there that make them, so they can use any flowers they want. Their crafts always look 10X better than mine do. They had the ribbon around the bale of hay like above with a full-sized bow, probably like you're talking about. They can make these bows free-handed, I can't. I'll try and do what you said. Thank you.

I'm going to have to do something about those 3-4 large green leaves in front. Will have to do some rearranging or put in more flowers to cover them.

Also bought one of their medium sized styrofoam pumpkins that I want to try and make a floral arrangement for my kitchen table. The people there never run out of ideas...I love going into that store!!

Donna, do you have some of the light cream wheat looking stuff left or a couple of yellow flowers to fill in where the 3 leaves are, I didn't notice it until you pointed it out. That's all it needs about 3-1 1/2 to 2 in. flowers will do it. Maybe you have a small "Pick".(That's small grouping sold together on 1 stem usually about 8 in long. Sometimes 2 for $1)or small leftover yellow sunflowers would work too. I always try to use up leftovers I have. Don't be afraid to bend the wired ribbon around. If you have some that is already bent up that you saved from something else practice on that. You can rebend it & change it a lot before it will break the wire so it is very easy to change it if you don't like it. Maybe Google "wired ribbon ideas" or" wired ribbon bows" & they might show you how to do it. I just came across a whole box of wired ribbon 2 in. wide. Friend gave it to me & there is a video in it. I'll have to have a look,that should get me going!! Have fun!!

I went to Google & typed in "How to make wired ribbon bows" And can't find anything like I make. They did have a nice bow for a package. about 4th one down "howdini" was the site & a man shows wrapping the ribbon around a book & then cutting all 4 end corners off at an angle & then turning it so they are all at center. Makes a beautiful bow. Just no ruffle look. But you could do that to it if you wanted . Might have more in floral arrangement part of site at Michael's I've used these bows on number of things. I had gotten a wooden piece that looked like ladies hat from a side view. I paid less than dollar at TS & came home & painted it with soft pastels & added the real ribbon around the crown & ruffled it going down. Made a great gift for a bedroom wall for less than $3. I filled a basket with, hand-crocheted edge peach washcloth in bottom with edges sticking out, filled in with fancy soaps, small pretty lotions, sea shells etc & the rather ugly handle was transformed with green 2 in. wired ribbon bow with the "tails" being ruffled with my fingers & glued about every 2 in. with dot from glue gun. Don't see handle at all & makes nice addition to bathroom floor corner with a tall painted cat next to it that has the same colors of peach & forest green rosebuds on black cat. I got the cat at TS too for couple of bucks. (Decorating on very low budget at the time) If you saved a wired bow from a gift use that to mess around with & see how interesting it can look. If I plan to ruffle & loop I do make the loops longer than normal. That's why your's should work just fine as they are nice long loops.